U.S. territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles from the coastline, where the U.S. has sovereignty over the waters and resources. Oil rigs located within this 12-mile limit fall under U.S. jurisdiction. However, beyond this limit, up to 200 nautical miles, lies the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), where the U.S. has rights to explore and exploit resources, including oil. Therefore, not all oil rigs in the Gulf are within territorial waters; some may be in the EEZ.
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